There is a t-shirt that says "Born in Maine, Living in Exile." I lived in "exile" (actually a very nice place) for 32 years, and returned to Maine in 2005. That's not necessarily what all this is about, just the only title I could think of at the time.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Friday Five: Garage Sale!

Welcome to your irregularly scheduled Fifth Friday Five, hosted by will smama and Songbird!Since will smama is preparing for a joint garage sale with her parents, and Songbird's church had a Yard and Plant Sale last Saturday, we have five enormously important questions we hope you will answer:

1) Are you a garage saler?Sometimes -- when they are convenient or I have a companion to go looking with. I find they aren't so much fun on one's own.I also dearly love church rummage sales.

2) If so, are you an immediate buyer or a risk taker who comes back later when prices are lower?If I really want something I buy it, because chances are I won't come back.

3) Seriously, if you're not a garage saler, you are probably not going to want to play this one.(That wasn't really #3.)3) This is the real #3: What's the best treasure you've found at a yard or garage sale?Really, my breadbox (See below) although, while bought at a yard sale, it was brand new as far as I could tell and may have been a craft project of the sale-holder. Then again maybe it was a present they didn't want....

Of things that were definitely used, I'd say my CD called Street Carols, which is doo-wop Christmas songs. I always look at the books and CDs at garage sales.

4)If you've done one yourself, at church or at home, was it worth the effort?At church, for many years I worked on the rummage sale and it was always a question. It seems to me we would net $3000 or so and of course I and my daughters would come home with stuff (one year I scored my stash of Real Handkerchiefs which I still use), and we enjoyed the fellowship (more a sisterhood except for the heavy lifting). And, since we had a LOT of clothing in good condition, it was obviously a help to some of the people who came to buy, particularly on "Bag Day." However, as lives changed, we decided to do without this fund-raiser.Personal garage sales: the very first one I had was quite successful. I don't remember a dollar figure but we were impressed. Then later we had one or two that were absolutely pointless. Before we left City of Lakes we had a moving sale and that was successful -- not money beyond the dreams of avarice, but since we were interested in getting rid of excess furniture it served the purpose. Our neighborhood is having one on June 14 and I haven't decided yet whether we even have enough "stuff" to make it worthwhile paying the $10 donation to join it! I'll be giving my books to one of the library book sales in the area so we may not have enough to sell.

5) Can you bring yourself to haggle?Not over nickels and dimes, that's for sure. And I hate when people do that if I'm the saleholder. If it's a piece of furniture or similar, perhaps.

BONUS: For the true aficionado: Please discuss the impact of Ebay, Craig's List, Freecycle, etc... on the church or home yard/garage sale.I'm not a true aficionado, but my daughter-in-law The Collector is, of these and also thrift shops. She definitely feels the pickings are slimmer as people are more knowledgeable about what they have and inclined to try for top dollar on eBay. (And alternatively, some post on Freecycle in hopes of finding the right person to give something to. I'd rather do the church or thrift shop thing in most cases myself.)

What a fun Friday Five -- I never cease to wonder how you all come up with the ideas!